Interim
by ellecee
Summary: Timeline: Sozin's Comet, Part 3: Into the Inferno (Book 3, Ch 20). A fan's perspective of what (c/should have) occurred between Zuko and Katara during the time unaccounted for after the Agni Kai, and before the two reunited with the rest of the gAang. Zutara. *Current content rated: T; M rating reserved for future chapters. Disclaimer: Zuko/Katara & A:tLA owned by Bryke*


**Chapter One**

* * *

_The night air was thick with the smell of sulfur and smoke._  
_**  
**_His sister's agonizing screams rang through his head and echoed through every corner of his mind. It pained him to see her like this, probably much more than it should, but Zuko couldn't force himself to look away. So many thoughts flitted through his consciousness in those moments; like the pages of a picture book at the mercy of the wind, everything jumbled and out of sequence. It didn't make sense to him… none of it did. He played back over the course of events that led to the chaos that had unfurled before him. If he had been of sound mind, he might rationalize that this was the inevitable outcome. But he couldn't bring himself to wrap his head around it… his baby sister… shattered, and finally feeling the pain that she had inflicted on so many helpless others in her short lifetime. And yet, Zuko couldn't help but want to comfort her. To take her pain away, in spite of all that she had done to him and those he cared about. He couldn't bear to see anyone like this, including her. No matter how much she may have deserved to feel every ounce of this misery.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zuko finally tore his gaze away from Azula. And as reality dawned on him, he slowly absorbed the disjointed scene around him. A soft voice pulled him out of his daze.

"Zuko…" it whispered. "Are you… okay?"

He was not alone, he remembered. There was a slight pressure on his arm that caught his attention, and he turned towards it. Not able to find even the simplest of words, Zuko merely looked at Katara—his expression mournful, his breathing erratic—and formed a small shrug.

"Come on," she said after a few moments of continued silence. "Let's get you to a place where you can rest. You still need some healing."

Zuko looked down at his wound absently, almost having forgotten it was there—his mind was so overcome with guilt and grief, that his body felt numb. Katara's quick healing had made it appear almost scar-like now, but it was still seething and angry. He brushed his fingers timidly over it and the contact sent shock waves rippling through his body. The pain was so intense, it was paralyzing. _That was stupid._

"Oh, Zuko... that was stupid." The soft voice sighed, mirroring the one in his head. She laid a hand lightly on his shoulder. "It's still gonna hurt, Zuko. You need to let me heal it properly. Is there a place we can go… somewhere away from here… somewhere with water?"

Still unable to speak, he looked at Katara and nodded warily. He lost himself as he watched her for a moment and took in her face… the face of his savior. He couldn't believe how even after all that she had been through just moments ago, Katara still managed to look soft and beautiful; her face serene, without even a hint of the anguish she had just endured. His hand dropped from his abdomen and found hers. He turned away from the horrid scene of his sister—or what was left of her—and started to move toward refuge. As he tried to walk on his own, he faltered. He stumbled slightly and hissed at the pain that tore through his body from the jostle. The waterbender moved closer toward him and eased his arm around her shoulders.

"Here… lean on me." She urged him. "Just show me where to go and I'll help you."

_Angel_, he thought. And, ironically, the pair moved toward the one place that had never extended an ounce of comfort or solace to him before—the Fire Palace.

It took them a while to make their way across the long stretch of the Agni Kai arena. As they approached the entrance, they came upon the Fire Sages who had gathered earlier to perform Azula's coronation. They had remained there on the dais, as witnesses to the dramatic turn of events that had just unfolded—in one single instance, history and the future had taken a drastic turn. The Sages stood together before the two teenagers.

"Prince Zuko," one of them started, but quickly corrected himself once he realized what he had said. "_Fire Lord_ Zuko," he said as he bowed and offered Zuko the crown that was only moments ago meant to be placed upon Azula's head. After all he'd just been through, it hadn't even occurred to him that by the single act of defeating his sister in the fire duel, he had earned back his rightful place on the throne. But reclaiming his birthright was the farthest thing from his mind at this moment.

It took every ounce of strength he had left in him to reach towards the Sage and push away the hands that extended the very thing that had symbolized hate and evil for the past hundred years. It was a compulsion he couldn't control. But truthfully, he wanted nothing to do with it at this point—he couldn't even bring himself to look toward the man who offered this thing to him… not now. And in all their wisdom, the Sages seemed to understand and bowed toward Zuko in respect as he passed them by.

Katara looked back after them and hesitated. "Please… take care of the princess," she urged in a hushed tone. She had uttered the very words that Zuko wished to, but couldn't. He closed his eyes and squeezed his companion's shoulder in gratitude, and they continued along their way.

The two of them moved again toward the palace, their minds in a fog. The place seemed oddly abandoned and eerily quiet. The only thing that accompanied the pair was the sound of their footsteps echoing loudly against the marble floor. Azula must have banished everyone on staff in her uncontrollable rage, for there was no one left to stop them or question them or harass them. The walls stared blankly back at them as they walked together in silence. Zuko directed Katara through the ornate hallways, past door after opulent door, until finally he stopped in front of the very last one at the end of the hall. To Katara, it seemed no different from the rest that they had passed. But it was apparent that this particular door held a significance to the Fire Prince. Zuko gestured toward the door and laid a heavy hand on it for a moment before it slid loudly down the painted surface of its own volition. His breathing had become quick and labored. Katara took her cue and opened the gilded door, revealing a lavish bedroom, elaborately decorated in the deep reds and glowing golds of the Fire Nation. The bed in the center of the room was grand and surrounded by thick velvety curtains, adorned in red satin bedclothes. Zuko propped himself up on the door frame, giving Katara a brief reprise from bearing the brunt of his weight. With one arm wrapped protectively around his middle, he pointed a shaky finger towards another door in the back corner of the giant room.

Katara crossed the expanse of the bedroom to the other door and found that a comparatively extravagant bathroom was on the other side. A large golden basin sat in the center of the tiled floor. Instinctively, she walked over to the water pump and began to fill the tub effortlessly with the grace of a master waterbender. She tested the water, and it felt unusually cool. Concluding that this particular temperature would be more than a little uncomfortable for Zuko in his current state, she looked around the room for some kind of a heating element. After a brief search resulting in nothing, Katara realized then that this was a room in a palace built for _firebenders_—who were, of course, their _own _heating element.

She drifted back to Zuko who was still propped against the frame of the over-sized door. His eyes were closed tightly and his breathing had slowed just a bit. But droplets of sweat clung to his forehead and hair. Katara gently brushed the dampened strands from Zuko's face and he opened his eyes. She grasped his hand lightly. She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he must be going through after what he had done for her.

"It's a little cold," she whispered. "But it's ready."

Zuko barely nodded. He managed to shift himself off the frame and started to move uneasily toward the bathroom.

"Do you want to lean on me again?" He heard her say.

Acting on the pride of a wounded warrior, Zuko shakily waved her off and attempted to move again on his own. After a few painfully uneven steps, he stopped. Dropping his head and sighing in defeat, he reached a weary hand out to his counterpart. She merely smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist, helping him to continue his trek to the tub. He stopped abruptly a few feet from the wall of the basin and shifted to take off his tunic. Pain shot through his middle and made his eyes roll back into his head momentarily. Zuko sighed again and looked hesitantly down at Katara.

"It's okay," was all she said, and she smiled reassuringly.

During that unspoken moment, she understood the implications behind the Prince's somber expression. She took a deep breath and began to gently remove his tattered and burned tunic, making every effort possible not to cause him any more pain. Her hands skimmed over the muscles of his chest as she pushed the torn remnants of fabric over his shoulders and down his strong arms, leaving a trail of warmth over Zuko's pallid skin. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Having her so close to him was unnerving… and unusually comforting. Her hair brushed his chin as she moved over him and the tunic fell to the tile beneath their feet. Katara looked up at him and smiled nervously. He managed a sheepish glance down to the waist of his pants and let out a breath that sounded almost like an uncomfortable laugh. Zuko shifted his weight and moved his hands sharply toward the ties of his waistband to relieve her of this awkwardness when he felt a sharp twinge rocket through his chest and right arm. He groaned and froze immediately.

"Oh, Zuko…" she complained, sympathetically. "You really shouldn't have done that."

His face was twisted in pain and he was unwilling to move an inch. He slowly let out the breath he was holding and felt Katara's hands hover over the waist of his pants.

"It's okay, Zuko… really." She laughed nervously. "I won't tell anyone if you won't."

He looked down at her apologetically, and nodded slowly. Katara took that as a cue to continue her ministrations, and gently released the knot of fabric that sat just below his navel. Zuko shivered as she tucked her fingers gently beneath the waistband of his pants and loosened them from his body. His breathing quickened involuntarily and the warmth of her skin against his sent a strange sensation coursing through his limbs. He let his eyes close and allowed himself a moment to revel in the pleasant feeling. Zuko awoke from his brief reverie when he felt his pants fall to his boots, leaving him in his underclothes and feeling oddly exposed.

Without missing a beat, Katara knelt in front of him and unfastened his boots. She moved quickly, keeping her mind on the workings of a healer and trying her best not to be distracted by the perfect male body standing nearly naked before her. She took a deep breath and rose to meet his eyes once more, this time with a rosy tint to her cheeks. It seemed that in spite of her noble efforts, her female wiles won out over her venerable mind. But honestly, how could any woman with a pulse ignore that body? That sculpted chest and those defined arms... Her embarrassment was written all over her face as she forced herself back into a healing mindset. "Put your hands on my shoulders and step out of them slowly." She said quickly, trying to ignore the quickening pace of her own heart and desperately attempted to re-focus on the true purpose behind her actions.

Zuko timidly obliged, oblivious to the reaction he had stirred in Katara. He managed to remove one foot, but stumbled and lost his balance when his toes caught on the edge of his right boot. Katara reflexively caught him and held him up tightly, her arms wrapping around his waist and back. Could this possibly get any more awkward?

"Careful there," she cautioned, steadying him and trying her best not to sound uneasy. Her face was pressed against Zuko's aforementioned bare chest and she could hear his erratic breathing and the rapid pace of his heartbeat. This intimate contact with the prince made her cheeks flush even more, and her own heart seemed to quicken to match the pace of his. Katara swallowed nervously, and inched away from the firebender slowly. She caught the apology in his eyes and saw that his face held a regretful expression. "It's not your fault," she assured him. "I know you're in a lot of pain and not completely in control of... I mean, it's okay." she stuttered.

"And unfortunately, the worst has yet to come," she continued a little more fluidly as she turned her focus toward the walls of tub. "We've gotta get you in there."

Katara paused for a moment and grasped the edge of the tub with her hands. The walls were high, coming up past her knees. This would be a feat for Zuko for sure. She wracked her mind to think of the best, least painful way to get the injured firebender into the tub. She looked back up at him and noticed that he, too, was eyeing the side of the basin nervously. "I wouldn't make you do it if I didn't need all the water I could get… sorry."

Zuko still hadn't spoken since seeing Azula in her fractured state. He was responsive to Katara, but still disconnected. And she silently worried that the Prince had more than just physical wounds that required healing. She tried to keep her focus on the task at hand, but her mind kept drifting back to Zuko's pained expression as he took in what was left of his sister in that arena. For as long as she'd known him, he had always been so stoic and deliberate; she had never seen him in such agony before. Her heart ached at the memory.

She stood upright again and came to conclusion that the best way to get him in the tub would be if she got in first and supported him over the edge. She looked back at the vulnerable Prince who was still staring at the tub like it was the Boiling Rock, and he had to climb it. "I need to get in first," she whispered. His glance immediately shot back to Katara. She had already begun untying the sash at her waist. Zuko swallowed nervously and nodded. And even though the prospect of pain wrenching through his body at the effort this maneuver would surely take dampened his spirits further, he found himself mesmerised by the sight of his companion.

He breathed in the scene that was unfolding in front of him: this beautiful girl undressing before him… no, not a girl—she was a_ woman_. This woman, breathtaking in her simple beauty… had saved him from his fate. He couldn't help but notice the curves of her body as they were revealed to him, piece by piece. The sight of her was his only amnesty from the dark thoughts that had been torturing him since he had faced his sister. A welcomed reprieve; and he couldn't force himself to refuse the indulgence that she had unknowingly offered to him.

Now in only her underclothes as well, Katara moved auspiciously toward the tub without so much as a sound and eased herself over the edge and into her element. She turned back toward the wounded Fire Prince and offered him her hand. Zuko moved slowly to take it and inched toward the seemingly impassable obstacle that stood before him. He was standing before his healer now, and she moved her other hand toward him. She grasped him tightly by the forearm and eased his other hand up to her shoulder. She placed her now free hand at the side of his chest, underneath his arm and began to pull him with gentle force towards her.

"Can you lift your leg?" she asked him. Zuko answered with an awkward attempt, but his body didn't seem to be responding properly to what he was telling it to do. He sighed in frustration.

"Here," she said softly. "Let me." Katara lowered her hand from the side of Zuko's chest down to his leg and gripped him gently behind his knee. She bent towards him and slowly lifted his leg up and over the edge of the basin. He released a heavy breath._ One foot in_, he thought. _That wasn't so bad. Just… one… more…_

Katara could feel Zuko's unsteadiness as he began to falter. She moved toward him once again and wrapped her arm around his middle at the base of his shoulder. She was supporting his weight almost completely now. She looked up at him regretfully and explained, "You're gonna have to do the other one on your own. I can't help you without letting go of you, and if I do that you'll fall." Her face was sad as though she could feel the pain it would cause him.

Zuko responded with a heavy sigh and a nod. He closed his eyes and readied himself to face the Boiling Rock again. And with a deep breath he—

"WAIT!" she exclaimed. His eyes shot open and he froze in place.

"Sit down on the edge first," she continued. "It'll be easier that way."

Zuko expelled the breath he was holding and eased himself down onto the edge of the tub. He gathered his faculties and prepared for the feat.

"Lean on me." She said.

He wound one arm around her shoulders and gripped the tub with his free hand. _ It's now or never_… he thought. _One…_

_two…_

_two and a half…_

_two and three quarters…_

_oh, screw it, THREE! _The word echoed in his head as he tensed every muscle in his body to bring the remaining leg over the side of the tub. He groaned at the exertion and discomfort it made him feel. He was awkward, and breathless, but he was successful. He slid down the edge of the tub thinking the worst was finally over when a shudder rocked through his body making him wrench at the pain it caused. His teeth began to chatter together and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Sorry…" Katara offered. "I guess I forgot to tell you just how cold the water was. Does your bending work? Maybe you could heat the water to a more comfortable temperature for you."

Zuko attempted to gather himself and raised his shivering left hand. He slowly formed the shaking hand into as tight a fist as he could manage. Almost instantly the water grew more bearable and he began to relax. _At least that still works_. He was relieved at the thought.

"Just be still," Katara instructed. And she began to prepare herself for her task. "Ready?"

Zuko took in as big a breath as he could manage comfortably and exhaled ever so slowly. He merely blinked in acknowledgement, and allowed his eyes to close once more as he accepted his once former enemy as his current saving grace. Zuko tried to meditate to calm his nerves and to help ease the pain. He was almost able to reach full concentration after a few minutes, and he could feel Katara working over him—her liquid-enveloped hands gliding up and down his torso. Slowly, he drifted into the darkness that existed between consciousness and unconsciousness. It was at that moment that he saw_ her_ again. The images came flooding back to him, swaying in his mind, unrelenting and flashing from one to the next so quickly it was almost a blur. She was there, in his mind's eye… haunting him and breaking him from the inside. His baby sister. For a flicker in time, he saw that sweet little toddler with bouncing rooster-pigtails and bright innocent eyes; a fleeting memory of the tiny girl looking to her big brother to help her pick a flower from the garden. But then in an instant, she was the twisted Princess who had tortured him relentlessly for the better part of his life—that maniacal smile drawn across her face as she poised herself for attack. And then, inexplicably, the world seemed to grow around her as she transformed back into that little girl, standing on her tip-toes to reach her arms around her brother's neck so she could plant a loving kiss on his perfect, unmarred cheeks. But as her face drew in closer to his, her childish pucker grew into a distorted gape and she was screaming in his ear—the prodigious princess as she finally reached the end of her rope, broken and mangled; tortured, hysterical. Zuko's face tensed as he relived those torturous moments over and over again. The room began to glow blue behind his eyelids as Katara continued her healing, and Zuko saw the lightning flash from one edge his mind to the other. He wrenched at the memory of his pain and of his broken sister. A tear escaped unchecked down the side of his crumpled face.

The glowing ceased. "Zuko…" Katara whispered hesitantly, but he didn't hear her. "Zuko, did I hurt you?"

"Zuko…" she repeated.

A soft whimper was the only response she evoked. She faltered for a moment, unsure. She breezed over his vitals. He was breathing still, although erratically and his heart continued to beat strongly, although rapidly. Katara noticed the slight quivering of Zuko's lips. She inched closer to his face as she noticed those lips appeared to be trying to form the smallest of words. And then she heard him.

"I… I'm s-sorry." He whispered through a breath. His voice was so quiet, it was almost unintelligible.

"What?" she blinked, half confused at his words and half taken by the fact that he had finally spoken. "Sorry? Zuko... why are you _sorry_? You haven't done anything to be sorry for."

"I c-couldn't... save you…" he continued, his voice shaky and barely above a whisper. "I'm… so… sorry…" he said again, and the tears began to flow from his closed eyes.

"Zuko…" he didn't respond. She shook his shoulders gently, still nothing.

"ZUKO!" she yelled at him now and shook him violently. There was no response. "_ZUKO!_" she pleaded, almost screamed. In one swift movement, she was astride him cradling his face in her hands. She drew in closer to him. "Zuko…" she whispered in his ear. "Zuko, it's me… it's okay." Katara's voice and hands shook nervously as she tried to bring him back to her. "Open your eyes, Zuko! Look at me!"

He was still.

She let go of him, searching frantically around the room for something… for what, she didn't know. _What do I do_… was all she could think. She placed her hands at either side of Zuko's head and focused her energy on his face. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the water dripping from her fingers and down the side of Zuko's face. At that moment, her mind shot back to Jet in Ba Sing Se. She had helped soothe his manipulated mind with her healing! Before even making the conscious decision to move, she had gloved her hands in water instantaneously and repositioned them on either side of Zuko's head at his temples. She concentrated intently and the water glowed bright with the effort of her healing.

"Come on, Zuko… come back to me" she whispered as she searched his face for any sign of change.

Seconds passed that felt like hours. Zuko remained unresponsive, his breath now ragged and slow. "Come on, come on..." she muttered to herself. Katara slowed her breathing. She closed her eyes and immersed herself in her efforts. She concentrated on feeling the pulsing of blood behind his temples and the room began to glow brighter with her healing.

"You can't leave me, Zuko," she pleaded. "Not after all of this..._ please_."

Slowly, Zuko's eyes drifted open, the tears still flowing. "Ka..ta..ra?" he said.

Her eyes flew open. "Oh, Zuko! Oh, thank the spirits!" and she threw her arms around him in a deep embrace. "I thought I was losing you."

She pulled away slightly to look at him, her face barely inches away from his. "Are you okay?" she asked tentatively, searching his eyes.

His consciousness slowly returning to him and leaving the weight of the images he'd seen so clearly in his mind, he shook his head slowly, never taking his golden gaze away from hers. He blinked, and another tear fell—the moisture making his eyes shine like glistening amber pools. He swallowed hard. "I couldn't save her…" he whispered hoarsely. He laid his head back on the rim of the basin and stared somberly at the ceiling above, defeated.

Katara sat silently for a moment, both hands on his shoulders, trying to make sense of his words. _ He couldn't save her? But I'm right here… he did save me_. "Zuko, I'm here. You did save me, I'm okay" she whispered to him, repeating her thoughts out loud.

But he continued to shake his head. "No, Katara…" he said finally. "I failed her… she needed me, and I failed her."

Realization dawned on her then. "… Azula," she whispered.

Zuko let out a sad sigh. "Just like I failed everyone else… my mother… my father… my uncle… even you." He stared down blankly at the water now. His tears had slowed, but his eyes still held a heartbreaking sorrow.

His sentiment surprised her, and she wasn't quite sure of how to respond. But she had to try…

Katara wiped the tears from his eyes. "Azula couldn't be saved, Zuko. You couldn't have… there was nothing... she was always..." she trailed off, not sure she was saying the right thing, and let out a heavy sigh. "It's not your fault, Zuko… there was nothing you could do," she urged.

"And you didn't fail me…" she whispered, shaking her head. "I forgave you, and you've proven who you really are now. You're not the angry, vengeful person you used to be, Zuko. You're _good_. You're heart… is _good_."

Katara had never seen him like this. She sat there, his legs unmoving beneath her, and stared at him. His expression was heartbreaking, but somehow his face still held a beauty she had never recognized before this moment. His amber eyes glowing like fire, and filled to the brim with lifetimes of pain undeserving of them. She brushed the damp hair from his face and traced the line of his unmarred cheek gently with her thumb. _Just like I failed everyone else… even you._ His words echoed in her mind. Her heart ached at the thought.

Unable to stop herself, she grazed her fingertips over the scarred side of his face and regarded it intently. Suddenly, she was back in the Crystal Catacombs under Ba Sing Se, feeling everything she'd felt for him at the very moment she first touched the rough, scaly texture of the scar that tainted his perfect face. The emotions came flooding back to her, only stronger this time. She saw in him, just then, the man she had always wanted him to be… kind, caring… capable of love.

"My father gave me that," he sighed interrupting her thoughts, back from his hallucinations. "A special parting gift for my banishment, I guess…" he continued coldly, and hesitated. "I don't think I ever told you."

"What?" she gasped at the revelation. Mentally calculating the timeline, she realized he must have only been 13 when it happened.

"No…" it was barely a whisper. He looked up at her then, into her cerulean eyes. They were shining with unshed tears; overflowing with feeling and concern... all for him—something he had only seen from one other woman in his life, his mother.

Everything seemed to come together for Katara then: his banishment, his unrelenting search for the Avatar, his father… his desperate need for acceptance and honor. She finally understood him. "How could he…" she wondered out loud, her voice shaky. "… just a _child_," she continued disjointedly.

Zuko sighed heavily.

"Katara, I'm sorry… I'm upsetting you. I should have just kept with the not talking." He laughed to himself. "Really, Katara… I didn't mean to make you cry." He told her as he now wiped away the tears that had left a damp trail down her tanned cheeks. How was it that he was able to manage making everyone in his life feel bad just for being near him?

She hadn't realized she was crying. She caught his hand as it slid down her face and held it between both of her own. She opened her eyes to find his staring back at her, golden and sad… almost ashamed. She longed to comfort him; to take it all away, the pain, the shame... everything. Unthinkingly, Katara leaned towards him slowly, until her face was just inches from his. She could feel his warm breath on her lips. She lingered there for a moment and let her eyes close again. She took a breath and slowly inched closer to him, until she could finally feel the warmth of his mouth against hers. Zuko took in a sharp breath, startled by her reaction to him. But then, just as quickly, he released the breath and melted into the feeling of her soft lips pressing gently against his.

He moved his hands from hers and rested them at the nape of her neck, gently gliding over her bare skin along the way, entangling his fingers in her long chestnut hair. Katara's hands searched for Zuko's face as she leaned into the kiss. He parted his lips slightly, allowing her to press deeper into him. She felt his tongue graze her bottom lip softly, and she welcomed him into her mouth with a soft whimper. Zuko straightened himself off the wall of the tub and leaned up into her, intensifying their embrace. They continued on like this for a few stolen moments, lost completely in one another; allowing their hands to explore the other and sharing sensations neither of them had felt before.

Surprisingly, Zuko was the first to break away. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her gently, leaving only a hairsbreadth between their lips.

"I'm so sorry, Katara… I shouldn't have…" he whispered.

She took his face in her hands again and looked down at him solemnly. "Why do you keep apologizing? You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I would never want to take advantage of you… you mean so much more than that. I just keep making such a mess of everything." He whispered back to her.

"You don't make a mess of everything. Zuko, you saved my life today. And if you'd remember correctly,_ I_ was the one who kissed _you_." Katara smiled at him then and laughed quietly, shaking her head. _Silly boy_. And to prove her point even further, she leaned in and gently kissed him again.

"How are you feeling?" she whispered against his lips, hoping to take his mind out of his sorrow.

He thought for a moment. "Like I've been hit by a bolt of lightning," he laughed. "Ow. Okay, note to self... no laughing."

She laughed loudly then. The sound seemed foreign to her, considering what they had just been through. But that didn't stop her from delighting in the momentary reprise. "Oh Zuko..." she shook her head. "Come on, let me finish healing you. We need to get you out of this water before you become delirious."

Katara shifted her weight on him then, and lifted his right arm until it was parallel with the water. She gloved her hand in her element once more and moved it over Zuko's chest, up to his shoulder, and across his arm following the movement she had seen him make when he was teaching Aang to redirect lightning.

Zuko winced and groaned at the process, twinges of pain twisting through the course where the lightning flowed from his chest and through his arm. Katara bent the water around Zuko and enveloped his arm and the right side of his chest in a sleeve of glowing liquid. She continued to move her hand up and over, then back and down.

Zuko let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and was surprised at how easy and painless it was.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked him.

"Better," he sighed, smiling. "Thank you."

"I told you before, _I_ should be the one thanking_ you_." She told him as she shook her head. "Okay, that's probably enough for one day," she sighed, nearly breathless from the exertion of her healing. "Let's get you out of this tub."

She stood carefully over him, and offered her hand. He took it gently and pushed himself up on his good arm. Surprisingly, it took a lot less effort getting out of the tub than climbing into it.

Too tired from the effort of her healing to bend anymore, Katara dried herself off as best she could, gathered their discarded clothes, and moved into the bedroom. Zuko followed, this time able to walk on his own.

* * *

**A/N**: _ This is my Very. First. Fanfic. EVER. I would greatly appreciate any feedback/reviews you'd care to offer. And since this is a story currently in progress, if you have any opinions on which way you think the story should go, I'm certainly open to hearing them :D Thanks for reading! —LC_

**A/N2**: _Please respect the fact that this is FAN-FICTION. I'm fully aware that Kataang was canon, however unfortunate that may be in the opinions of many—mine included (obviously). This IS a Zutara story. However, you Kataangers out there can't very well tell me that the period of time my story covers could not have played out just the way I'm telling it :) So, there ;)_


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